Water damage restoration includes the extraction, drying, and restoration of a property after water intrusion. This is needed after a water damage incident (such as a roof leak, appliance failure, burst pipe, or storm damage) and begins with an initial onsite inspection. This inspection looks at the extent of the damage so that PUDDLES can determine the best restoration approach. We will:

• make a plan to remove any standing water and water-affected materials, 
• sanitize the area,
• and thoroughly dry affected areas to minimize secondary damages and mold growth.

When we are on-site/in the field, you’ll almost always see a PUDDLES Restoration technician using a moisture meter (similar to this one, or this one) during the inspection.

Moisture meters are electronic tools used to measure water content/moisture within materials around the home or business, such as drywall, concrete, and wood. We use a combination of moisture meters, such as Protimeter MMS3, Tramex CMEX5, Protimeter ReachMaster Pro, DriEaz HydroSensor II, Pin & Pinless Protimeter Surveymaster, among others. We often utilize a FLIR infrared camera to determine if there are other areas that require further inspection.

It’s best to treat any water damage within 24 to 48 hours. After that window, there’s increased risk of mold growth behind places like walls and wallpaper, under hardwoods and carpet, and inside HVAC systems. When this occurs, you are faced with two problems (1) water damage removal and (2) mold removal.

After assessing the extent of the damage and creating a restoration plan, we extract any standing water using professional equipment. Depending upon the Category of Water Damage (1, 2, or 3) will determine which affected materials need to be removed and how much. Then we dry the affected areas and confirm with moisture measurements that the affected materials achieve the drying standard for that material.

Water damage escalates very quickly. If you’re dealing with water inside your property, the worst thing you can do is wait, or make an assumption that it will dry on its own. Yes, it may eventually dry on its own, but remember that time is your enemy. The longer you wait to get the water removed, the more expensive it will become both financially and structurally.

Damage to the interior can include peeling paint, stains and discoloration, wet floors, loose tiles or grout, swollen or warped wood, or even sagging spots in the walls or ceiling. You may also notice a musty smell or humidity that won’t go away.

If this is happening, or if you’re experiencing immediate issues:

• Shut off electricity/power to the affected area.
• Close the main water valve if the leak is internal.
• Contact PUDDLES Restoration (certified water restoration experts) immediately.

If you’re seeing any of these signs of water damage, don’t DIY your way through it. Household fans and shop vacs aren’t enough to reach hidden moisture, and it’s worth getting an inspection. The fastest way to keep a water problem small is to perform water damage removal quickly.

Water damage can cause an odor that’s earthy, musty, and damp. If sewage is involved, or if mold has heavily contaminated the materials/area, it can have a more severe sulfur-like or rotten odor.

Yes, we can remove water from any wood regardless of how long it has been wet.  Removing the damage to the wood may be impossible if the wood has experienced rot and/or delamination—the separation of adhesive-bonded or laminated layers within a material, causing structural failure, surface bubbling, or weakened integrity.

Ultimately, it depends on the extent of the damage, such as how long the affected materials have been wet and their level of contamination. For example, you have seen white rings on a wooden table from the condensation on a wet glass. These surface stains can usually be removed. But, material/wood that is swollen, rotted out, delaminated, or covered in mold will always require removal.

Water damage restoration can take days to weeks. We were told by a restoration technician for another company that it took them more than a month to dry a marble floor (consisting of slabs of marble) because the property owner refused to remove the floor.

On average, commercial projects typically take more time than residential cases, simply because the affected spaces can be larger and harder to dry evenly. However, it comes down to the damage itself and how far the water spread and how deep it penetrated the affected material(s). The biggest factors in restoration and recovery are:

• Size of the affected area
• Volume of water and saturation level
• Contamination level
• Materials impacted
• How quickly drying starts

PUDDLES Restoration holds an IICRC Water Damage Restoration (WRT) certification, among others. The WRT certification course focuses on the science of drying, moisture detection, and safety when dealing with different categories of water and decontamination procedures. This certification demonstrates knowledge to perform remediation work and an understanding of water damage, its effects, and techniques for drying structures.

If you have a home or business in Ocala, Florida and have water damage or have concerns about hidden moisture, contact PUDDLES Restoration today to schedule an appointment, and let our team assess the situation.